The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-01-05
AN ORIENTAL PLAYHOUSE.
VISIT no A CHINESE THEATRE IN
SAN FRANCISCO.
A Dense Mass of Stolid CeIestials
Acting Without Women or
Scenery--A Chinese Duel


Chinese theatre as follows: Passing in
our four bits each. at the box office, we
went upstairs to the audience chamber.
Confuciusi what dense mass of human
ityl Every seat occupiea, and every
available space utilized by these uncanny
sons of Ham, each individual reflection
Of his fellow and, as Thackeray has said,
mot profile among them The air
was filed with tobacco smoke, but we
craned onr necks and glanced around
a platform minus drop curtain and
scenery was dimly visible at the further
end of the room and spectre-like figures
pranced about, hemmed in on either side
by an overflow of the audience. A gal
lery ran round three sides of the audi
torium and was packed with women and
children. A man with washtub on his
head circulated in some miraculous way
among the crowd dispensing refresh
ments. BY slow and painful degrees we
found our way to the front and finally
alighted on the stage in the glare of the
foothghts. The musicians (every man
was smoking) occupied the middle back
of the stage, aud at either side were
loosely curtained doors through which
the performers made their entrees and
exits
No women are employed in the Chi
nese theatre. Their parts are assumed
by meR who seek to emulate the femi-
nine traits by uttering their sentences in
squeaky falsetto, adopting q labored
walk and generous use of paint and
powder. The male characters are at
tired in fantastic costumes of indescrib-
able designs and either wear long, thin
gray boards or decorate their physiogno-
mics with red and white stripes and
disks.
To an American the performance is a
monotonous repetition of meaningless
pantomimes, interspersed with occa-
sional dialogues and heathenish songs.
At short intervals. apparently without
reason-certainly without rhyme the
orchestra burst in with demoniac crash
of gongs, bells and cymbals. shrill notes
OF stringed instruments and shrieks from
clarionets. During, all this uproar the
actors stick to the text like grim death,
although their voices cannot possibly be
heard three feet from the stage.
Each male impersonator effects his en-
tree, whether in the part of the heavy
villain or friend of the family, in a man
ner calculated to produce a deep and
lasting impression upon the minds of the
audience. He first makes a circuit of
the stage in long, pompous strides, then
with much seriousness and tedious pre-
liminaries attempts pas de seul, but so
ungraceful and labored is each move
ment that the exhibition is really pain
!, full. When the stage is cleared and new
relays are expected one of the musicians
ak kok
requisite property" from behind the
curtained doors, all the while diligently
putting away at his cigarette.
The audience looked weary. Only
once did their stolid countenances relax,
and this was occasioned by an incident
which would not have appeared on the
programme had such a medium existed
A chief chancellor or functionary of high
rank entered and curvetted about the
stage as usual, while the orchestra
pounded and rasped and tore away at
their instruments. He wore a band box
shaped hat, from which two long feathers
protruded, and in making a sudden
lurch the feathers brushed the face of a
white visitor who was standing on the
stage. The man lodged back so quickly
and with vehemence so disproportionate
to the cause of his alarm, that every
Chinaman grinned, and for few mo-
ments general buzz of merriment
swayed the crowd.
A duel on the histrionic stage of the
Chinese is highly instructive to novice.
The belligerants approach on tiptoe, as
though each thought the other had for.
gotten the appointment or was oblivious
to his presence. Then they plunge their
long spears violently at every point ex-
cept a vital one, make frantic leaps into
the air and occasionally vary the monot-
ony of this deadly encounter by adroitly
spinning around on one foot Absence
of scenery and the accompanying stage
realisms are supplied by large draughts
upon the Imagination of the spectators.
A man. enters equipped Ia miLhaire.
His left hand is held taut, while he
brandishes sword with his right. With
legs stretched widely apart, he makes
little spasmodic leaps into the air, and we
are at once to assume that the man is
mounted on fiery, untamed steed.
A breeder of mischief steaithIly APP
proaehes group of law wabiding citizens
He pauses a moment, then slowly lifts
each foot alternately from the ground,
every time a trife higher, until he
reaches his limitations; at the same time
he makes similar motions with his arms.
He then stretches his neck out as far as
nature will permit forming in this pain
ful attitude little tableau all by him
self, and behold what, to the minds
eye, the man has really accomplished is
TO climb tree and peer cautiously
through the branches.
In general hand -to-hand conflicts the
vanquished appear to fall willing victims
TO the superior prowess of the attacking
foe. The ground is strewn with thu
dead They are not, however altogether
oblivious of the things of this life, and
do not scruple to roll their ewes in tn,
direction of the gallery if their curiosity
gets the better of them or raise up OF
elbow and glance pleasantly and famil
iarly about. And of course it excites nt
comment when the dead arise. read jus
their mortal coil and coolly walk off tn,
stage.
When we tired OF the play OF yearneC